NEW and EXCITING!
Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) offers a certificate program in Library Technology.

The American Library Association (ALA) has recently established a rigorous national program for Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC). In June Three Rivers Community College became the ninth college in the country to sign an agreement with ALA that recognizes the college as an approved provider of ALA-LSSC courses. Upon an evaluation of the TRCC Library Technology core curriculum, the American Library Association found Three Rivers Community College to meet their criteria for provider status.

Three Rivers graduates are now eligible for LSS certification because they achieve learning and competence in the national competency standards of library technology, reference, public service, literature and youth services, communication and teamwork, library management, cataloging and classification. According to the American Library Association, LSSC graduates are found to be more confident and knowledgeable at work because of their enhanced skills and abilities. LSSC graduates are also sought as employees because they understand how to work on a team to provide better service to the public. LSSC graduates are found to be more willing to accept responsibility as they understand how the entire library operates.

Related to the agreement, this fall two approved courses will be offered. Our first online course in Library Management, Communication and Teamwork will be offered to students both locally and nationally. Students will learn how to communicate effectively with the public, peers, and supervisors, as an effective team member. They will also learn management skills of budgeting, policy development, staffing, building safety and maintenance. A second course offered this fall that meets the approved technology competency is Digital Resources. Students learn how to create and publish digital sites and e-books. They also learn how to select, use, and evaluate new databases and to write grants to acquire and support new online digitization projects.
Scholarship opportunities are available for students enrolled in the Library Technology certificate program from both local sources and from the American Library Association.